NCAA Tournament Sweet 16: How the survivors rank in the regional semifinals

Doug Pensinger/Getty ImagesBilly Donovan's Florida team is a sleeper pick to reach the Final Four.

At long last, the men’s college basketball season has been whittled down to 16 teams. Some got here by plowing through the competition (Kentucky, Ohio State), others by surviving scares (Kansas, Michigan State). Some have serious personnel issues going forward (North Carolina, Syracuse), while some have pulled some big-time stunners (Ohio, Cincinnati, N.C. State). Now is as good a time as any to reseed those left in the Sweet 16:

1. Kentucky
The best team in the country has been surgical in its first two games, whipping Western Kentucky and Iowa State. Indiana is a potential land-mine, but you can bet the Wildcats remember that one of their two losses came against the Hoosiers — and how it happened on a buzzer-beater.

2. Kansas
Jayhawks faced their sternest test from a game Purdue team Sunday night — and won, doing so with great defense.

3. Ohio State
Jared Sullinger may be blocker the Buckeyes run behind, but PG Aaron Craft is the QB that makes it all happen.

4 Florida
Virginia isn’t an offensive juggernaut, and getting Norfolk State instead of Missouri was a break. But the Gators’ offense — they have outscored their first two opponents by 30 points per game, and they’ve had seven double-figure scorers — make them a Final Four sleeper.

5. Michigan State
Tom Izzo’s team was able to escape Saint Louis, but we’re still not sure they’re the best team in the West.

6. North Carolina
Kendall Marshall’s broken wrist bone is a major concern (he has 351 assists), but the Tar Heels still have enough star power.

7. Wisconsin
The Badgers are battle-tested, having played 13 games against teams in the field before the tournament began.

8 Syracuse
Here’s why we’re not sold on the Orange: The three teams left in their bracket — Wisconsin, Ohio State and Cincinnati — are all great at controlling the tempo, hitting mid-range jumpers and playing stingy defense. If you read the playbook on how to beat Syracuse, those are the first three chapters.

9. Baylor
The Bears’ length and athleticism should be the perfect antidote for Xavier, but Kentucky? That’s 50-50 there.

10. Marquette
Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder have been tremendous so far and the Golden Eagles have been dictating perfectly.

11. Louisville
Few teams are playing as well as the Cardinals right now, but Michigan State might be too much defensively.

12. Ohio
Well, well. The Bobcats — with wins over Michigan and South Florida — have one of the best players left in the tournament in junior guard D.J. Cooper (20 ppg., 6 apg. in tournament). And don’t forget: This isn’t a fly-by-night mid-major. Ohio knocked off Georgetown two years ago.

13. Cincinnati
It’s been a magical run for the Bearcats and they’ve played great defense so far. But scoring has been a bit of an issue.

14. Indiana
The Hoosiers’ return to relevance is a great story. They already have beaten Kentucky; another win is unlikely.

15. Xavier
In two games against Notre Dame and Lehigh, the Musketeers prevailed, but struggled to score consistently.

16. North Carolina State
We like how the Wolfpack have been physical in their two wins, but against Kansas? We just can’t see that.